GRANDMA'S CREAMED CORNBREAD (UNITED STATES)
"The ancestor to our cornbread was the humble corn pone: an Indian concoction of water, salt, and cornmeal that was mixed together, put on a makeshift griddle, and thrust over an open fire.
Cornbread was a ubiquitous fixture of the meals of my early childhood. My mother didn't like to cook, so I usually had the packaged mix variety. But there are those who can coax delicious and varied melodies from this unassuming dinner accompaniment."
Sheila Johnson's recipe comes from her great-grandmother, who usually served cornbread when they had fish for supper.
GRANDMA'S CREAMED CORNBREAD
Cook's Notes: You'd have to go a long mile to find a cakier, more finely textured cornbread than this one. The creamed corn has something to do with it, of course.
Makes one 9-inch round cornbread
1. Preheat the oven to 450°.
2. Pour 2 tablespoons of the melted butter into a 9-inch cake pan, and bake for 5 minutes, until the cake pan is very hot.
3. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the center of this mixture, and pour the creamed corn, milk, remaining 2 tablespoons butter, and egg into the well. Stir until smooth. Pour the batter into the hot cake pan.
4. Bake until the cornbread is golden brown, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove the cornbread from the oven, and let it stand for 15 minutes before serving.
